Monday, October 12, 2015

Lucy Lou

Eight years ago, our daughters
watched in horror as our four year old Alaskan Malamute, Oreo, was hit by a
car.Gab was in shock, Bec cried for
days and Debbie refused to drive by that spot for years.I was
ready to get a new dog right away.I am
not sure why, but maybe because I grew up with two dogs (a Norwegian Elkhound,
Holly, and a German Shepherd, Tippy).Bec looked up at me and asked through her tearstained faced, “How could
you have another dog after going through this before?”It broke my heart, as Oreo was very much a
part of our family.When we first decided
to get a dog, we researched options as a family, visiting pet shops and
breeders. Part of the deal in getting a
dog was that the girls had to be responsible to take care of the dog, otherwise
it would end up being my pet.The girls
agreed, and did take care of Oreo, and Oreo was a constant companion to Debbie in
both the house and when they went out.

The Pros and Cons of Dog
Ownership:

Pro – teaches responsibility for our children
(they must commit to helping)

Con – having a dog takes up your free time

Pro – unconditional love

Con – they are dependent on you

Pro – they greet you at the door when you come
home long after your children stop doing so

Con – you cannot just go away for a weekend,
until you find a someone / a place to watch your dog

Pro – they are by your side through the good
time and the bad times

Pro – they make you feel good

Pro / Con – you become emotionally invested in
your dog

Five years ago, my Mother-in-law
had a Pug, Irving, and was at the doggie park when she met a woman that
fostered dogs.At that point, I had
already started looking to adopt a dog and was looking online (petfinder.com)
every few days.The rest of my family
was also beginning to feel that it was time to have a new dog.My mother-in-law called that a foster mom had
a cute dog with her and we should come and meet them.We went and met the dog – a mutt.This dog had been abandoned and abused before
being found in a muddy pen in the south and brought north to find a forever family.We fell in love with this cute, funny and
happy looking dog.After filling out
some paperwork, there was a home visit / interview to make sure there really
was a match.Lucy Lou came to our home
for a visit and has stayed here ever since then.That was five years ago this upcoming week, a
great addition to the family, and, in the words of Gab and Bec, “she is
perfect!”